Aeroplane and hydroplane.



W. R. TURNBULL.

AEROPLANE AND HYDROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2, 1906.

934,771., r Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

In Ven tor M440? MEX/ k4. 7 W

Attorneys.

W. R. TURNBULL.

AEROPLANE AND HYDROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2, 1906.

934,771 Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

In men tor A ttorneys.

WALLACE RUPERT TURNBULL, 0F ROTHESAY, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA.

AEROPLANE AND HYDBOPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

Application filed April 2, 1906. Serial No. 309,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALLAoE RUPERT TURNBULL, a citizen of the Dominionof Canada, and ,a resident of Rothesay, in-the county of Kings andProvince of New Brunswick, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Aeroplanes and Hydroplanes, of which the following is aspecification.

Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent some plan views of aeroplanes orhydroplanes which may be used for a flying-machine or water sustainedmachine, and Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and'lO represent the cross-sectionswhich these aeroplanes or hydroplanes may have along any lines; a, b, 0,d; e, f; g, it; etc., of Figs. 1, 2, 3 or 4; or along fore and aft linesof any other forms. Fig. 11 represents a plan view of a modification,and Figs. 12, 13 and 14 represent various cross sections along the foreand aft lines Q-fl, or 8-2? of F 1g. 11; Fig. 15 is a plandiagrammatical view of one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 16 is a sidediagrammatical view; and Fig. 17 is a detail. In each case the forwardedge of the aeroplane or hydroplane is indicated by the character F.'Fig. 5 represents the general type of a cross-section of an aeroplane,having a surface of double curvature, viz., on the under forward portiona concave curvature, and on the under after portion a convex curvature.

The objects of using this form of aero plane of double curvature is toobtain automatic longitudinal stability for the aeroplane and for theflying-machine or aerodrome to which it is attached. This automaticstability is realized because, with an aeroplane having a doublecurvature'as described above, the center of pressure advances as theangle which the aeroplane makes with the air current passing itdecreases, and the center of pressure retreats as the angle which theaeroplane makes with the air current passing it increases.

The further objects of using this form of aeroplane are that the liftingproperties of this aeroplane are very good, while the drift, of headresistance, is small compared with the drift of the usual type of singlecurvature aeroplane.

All of these facts have been demonstrated ments.

ll claim the right of using any proportions I may see fit or of usingone or more minor curvatures, before or behind the two main curvaturesas shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10; or of using several aeroplanes of zero,single, or double curvature to produce the same or similar efiect as thesingle aeroplane of double curvature (see Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14).

Fig. 6 represents the general type of a cross-section of an aeroplanehaving a crosssection of double curvature, viz.,'on the under forwardportion a convex curvature and on the under after portion a concavecurvature.

Fig. 7 represents the general type of a cross-section of an aeroplanehaving on the under forward portion a convex curvature, on the underafter portion a concave curvature and on the upper.side a convexcurvature. The object of using aeroplanes of the forms shown in Figs. (3and 7 is to obtain automatic longitudinal stability for the flyingmachine to the forward portion of which it is attached, by reason of thelifting properties 'of these aeroplanes being comparatively greater, atsmall angles with the passing air-current than the lifting properties ofother curved orplane surfaces at the same angles.

While the action of aeroplanes representedin cross-section by Figs. 6and 7 is similar while they are placed at positive angles with the lineof flight; the negative lift or depressing action, of one aeroplane(Fig. 7) is comparatively less when these aeroplanes are placed atnegative angles with the line of flight, which may or may not be anadvantage, according to the arrangement of all the aeroplanes attachedto the machine.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 represent variations which the type represented byFig. 5 may have; the object of using them being that the minorcurvatures introduced may increase the lift or decrease the drift. whilethe aeroplane, as a whole, maintains the property of automatic stabilityexisting in the type represented by Fig. 5 as already explained inconnection with that figure. While in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 1 show sectionsof aeroplanes having triple and quadruple curvatures, I do not confinemyself to this number of curvatures, but claim as my inventionaeroplanes having any number of curvatures, that shall exhibit the sameor similar characteristics of automatic stability as the typerepresented in cross-section by Fig. 7, and as already tion with Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 represents the plan views and Figs. l2, l3 and 14 the variouscross-sections along the fore and aft lines g, 778, t; etc. (Fig. 11) ofseveral (in the case shown, I three) aeroplanes placed behind oneanother; each aeroplane having a single curvature, but the combinationof aeroplanes will be the equivalent, or partially the equivalent, ofthe-single aeroplanes above described in reference to Figs. 1 to 10inclusive. The plan *view in these cases, as in those first considered,may have any form whatever, and may be composed of any number ofaeroplanes having zero, double, or single curvature placed at anydistance from one another.

.lVhile I claim the right of using the aeroplanes just described inFigsw5, 6 and 7; 8, 9, and 10; 12, 13 and 14; in any position whatever(movable or fixed, superimposed, staggered or one behind the other) in aflying-machine or aerodrome, with or without the use of otheraeroplanes, the modus operandi of a single combinationof theseaeroplanes is described as follows:

5 A pair of aeroplanes of the type shown in cross-section by Fig. 6being mounted in the forward portion of a flying-machine or aerodrome,and a pair of aeroplanes, of the type shown in cross-section by Fig. ,5,being mounted in the central or after ortion of the machine, the actionis as ollows: If the forward portion of the machine tips downward thecomparative lift of the forward aeroplane (type of Fig. 6) becomesgreater and at the same time the center of air-pressure on the afteraeroplane (type of Fig. 5) moves forward; both -of which actions tend tolift the forward portion of the machine and automatically restoreequilibrium. Again, if the forward explained in connecportion of themachine tips upward the comparative lift of the forward aeroplanes (typeof Fig. 6) becomes less and at' the same time the center of air-pressureon the after aeroplane (type of Fig. 5) moves aft; both of which actionstend to lift the after portion of the machine and automatically restoreequilibrium. By making the forwardaeroplanes movable about their longaxes, the whole machine may be elevated or depressed while retaining itsautomatic stabilityjust described. In this way steady horizontal oroblique flight is automatically obtained, and the whole machine elevatedor depressed at will. An arrangement of this kind is shown in Fig. 15(plan view) and Fig. 16 (side elevation) 1n which A, A are the forwardaeroplanes (type of Fig. 6) moved by the operator, 0, by means of thelever S; the support for the aeroplanes containing a bearing, as shownin Fig. 17.

the advantages of being very e D, D are two other aeroplanes (type ofFig. 5). The propelling mechanism is indicated by the propeller B and aframe with the wheels it rolls upon are indicated by E and C, C, Crespectively.

. While I show this single combination of aeroplanes of two of the typesdescribed in the first part of this specification, it must be understoodthat I claim the right of using any of the aeroplanes described in thisspeci-' fication in any position whatever in a flyingmachine oraerodrome, and the right also of using one or more movable steeringaeroplanes, of any form whatever, placed in the forward portion of anyflying-machine, soaring-machine, or aerodrome using aeroplanes of anytype whatever.

Any or all of the types of aeroplanes described in this specificationmay be used to advantage as hydroplanes which are surfaces, of plane orcurved form, attached to the hulls or frame-work of boats in such amanner that the hydroplanes are either wholly immersed in water all thetime or rise to the surface of the water and skim. or travel along thesurface of the water when a propelling mechanism drives the boatforward; the object in either case being that the hull proper is whollyor partially lifted from the water, thus causingthe displacement andhead resistance to become much lessened. Planes of the type (represented in 'cross section in Fig. 5) and the modifications of that typedescribed in this specification, are particularly well adapted for useas hydroplanes for the following reasons: If they are used whollysubmerged at all times, they have the same advantage of automaticlongitudinal stability, when 1 the boat is in forward motion, alreadyexplained in connection with Fig. 5, and if they are used so that theyrise to the surface of the water when the boat to which they are Iattached is propelled forward theyhave tficient lifters while offeringvery small head resistance or drift, and the convex after portion ofplanes of this type allows them to glide very easily over the surface.

I desire it understood that the planes described and illustrated havethe desired shape when in operation, irrespective of what shape they mayhave when not in operation. It is therefore apparent that the planes maybe flexible and of quite different shape when not in operation, but maybe so constructed that they will assume the desired shape when they arein operation.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;but

I desire to haveit understood that the ap-" paratus shown'is onlyillustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device which moves through a sustamlng medium, and which 1ssupported therein by means of planes having at leastone of the planes onthe under side of a concave curvature in the forward portion, and aconvex curvature in the after portion, and on the upper side a convexcurvature in the forward portion, and a concave curvature in the afterportion in combination with propelling means independent of the planes.

2. A device which moves through a sustaining medium and which 15supported therein by means of planes, having a body, one at least of theplanes having on the under side a concave curvature in the forwardportion and a convex curvature in the after portion, and on the upperside a conl vex curvature in the forward portion and a concave curvaturein the after portion, said planes being immovable in respect to thebody.

3. A device which moves through a sustaining medium, and which issupported therein by means of planes, the combination with a sustainingplane, of a steering plane in the forward part thereof, the saidsteering plane having a double curvature on the under side, convex inthe forward portion and concave in the after portion, and the sustainingplane having a double curvature on the under side, concave in theforward portion and convex in the after portion.

This specification signed and witnessed this twenty-seventh day ofMarch, 1906.

WALLACE RUPERT TURXBULL. [1,. 5.]

\Vitnesses F. P. STARR, C. V. ADAMS.

